Suture for a Living continue educating us with an interesting post about lipodystrophy. A fat disorder often seen in HIV-positive patients. She also discusses measures to prevent postoperative hematomas in plastic surgery, focusing on the problems with low blood pressure during surgery in relation to antithrombotic prophylaxis. This productive surgeon/writer even lets you find out if you’re suited for aesthetic surgery.

Manzoku, a third-year medical student, looks back on his half year of rotation, trying to find a future career. He even considers surgery “for a brief second or two”. It must indeed be hard to choose a path for one’s medical career. I find myself being fascinated with nearly every new field of medicine and surgery I come across in my work. I’m glad I don’t have to choose!

One who has decided on surgery is A Tractor & A Jeweler. He hasn’t found the time to write since July because of busy rotation of the different branches of surgery. Check out his account of the last five months of his adventures as a surgical intern.

A mother devoted to a healthy and natural lifestyle shares a post about the birth of her first child, on the blog The Skinny on January. She desperately wants a vaginal birth, but on discovering her foetus is breech she has to deal with the possibility of a cesarean section.

Bongi submits a thought-provoking anecdote about the atmosphere in an emergency room as the personnel prepare to treat a possible killer with a gunshot wound. Be sure to read the comments, for an interesting discussion about the attitudes of health workers towards their patients.

Buckeye Surgeon writes about operating on a hopeless case, granting the patient’s wish to try everything, but also gaining valuable practice.

From my own blog The Sterile Eye, I contribute an account of an awake craniotomy that turned into an emergency, forcing me to lend a hand and shorten my professional distance to the patient.

Some American health insurance companies no longer wants to pay for the drug “propofol” in colonoscopies. Counting Sheepwrites about her experiences with administering the drug, making a strong case against the companies’ claim that it is “medically unnecessary”.

Anesthesioboist also adresses the issue, ending the year on an appropriate rant against being told what to do as a physician by an insurance company.

I’ll round off this edition with the hilarious Anaesthetists Hymn. Ever wondered what anaesthetists do while the patient is asleep? Here’s the answer.

That’s it for now. Have a happy 2008 and don’t forget to check out the next edition of SurgeXperiences on January 20th, hosted by anesthetist nurse Terry at Counting Sheep. Hosts for future editions are needed, so please volunteer here. All previous editions of SurgeXperiences are collected here.